Sub It Clubbers have been working hard this past year. Members have made great strides toward their goals of publication, from connecting with critique partners in our Critique Partner Matchup, to perfecting pitches and queries, to sending submissions, to illustrator postcard mailings, and so much more. There are so many steps along the way to becoming published and it has been wonderful to be able to discuss the challenges, triumphs, and woes in the group, and to support and help each other out when we can. Here’s to all of you who have been taking those steps towards your publication goals, no matter how difficult!

As we all know, signing with that agent, connecting with that right publisher, and of course, publication are the big goals we’re stepping towards. So many Sub It Clubbers met those big goals 2016! And hey, don’t forget film rights. A couple of Sub It Clubbers sold those too. Pretty cool. Let’s celebrate these huge accomplishments Sub It Clubbers made in the past year. There is so much to celebrate!

Beth Anderson signed with Stephanie Fretwell-Hill at Red Fox Literary with her narrative nonfiction in February. Her book, AN INCONVENIENT ALPHABET, is about when Ben Franklin and Noah Webster become friends and start their own quiet revolution battling an inconvenient alphabet, sold to Simon & Schuster, Paula Wiseman Books to be released Fall 2018.

Linda Budzinski‘s novel, THE BOYFRIEND WHISPERER was released by Swoon Romance in November: Lexi Malloy is Grand View High School’s undercover Cupid for hire … so why is she stuck in the friend zone with her own dream crush? She alsosold the TV and film rights to her novel, EM & EM in which Emily Slovkowski doesn’t want to leave behind her home at the Jersey shore, her gorgeous surf boy Zach, and basically her entire identity … but that’s kind of how Witness Protection works!

TE Carter signed with agent Mandy Hubbard of Emerald City Literary for her YA Contemporary in March. Pitched as THE LOVELY BONES meets ALL THE RAGE in a town destroyed by the mortgage crisis, her book, I STOP SOMEWHERE, sold to Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan and is scheduled to be released in Winter 2018!

Gloria Chao signed with Kathleen Rushall of Andrea Brown Literary Agency for her YA Contemporary in April and sold her book, AMERICAN PANDA to Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster to be released in Spring 2018. The book is inspired by the author’s experiences as a second-generation Taiwanese-American, AMERICAN PANDA follows 17-year-old Mei, whose parents want her to become a doctor and marry a Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer despite her germophobia and crush on a Japanese classmate.

Tina Chosigned with Adria Goetz of Martin Literary Management for picture books in December. Her article OPERATION COOKIE, about two boys who baked cookies (along with church families) for U.S. soldiers in South Korea, was published in Clubhouse Jr. Tina was also the1st Runner Up in the Scholastic Asia Book Award for her novel, CHASING FREEDOM: THE ASIAN UNDERGROUND RAILROAD which chronicles the journey of two North Korean children as they attempt to flee their home country.

Illustrator Abi Cushman signed with Ilse Craane of BookStop Literary for picture books in May. She was also awarded an Honorable Mention in the Illustrated Picture Book Category for the Tassy Walden New Voices in Children’s Literature Awards for the PB dummy AARDVARK & ZEBRA STAR IN YET ANOTHER ALPHABET BOOK: When Aardvark discovers A is for Aardwolf, Zebra helps him look for a new spot in this funny, meta alphabet book.
Debra Daugherty‘s YA romantic fantasy/fairy tale, THE DRAGON’S RING was released by Astraea Press/Clean Reads in July. In the story,if the knight captures a unicorn, the king will give him his daughter’s hand in marriage; but if the unicorn is not set free, it, and all the creatures in the Enchanted Forest, will die.Jamie LB Deenihan signed with Linda Camacho at Prospect Agency in June for picture books.

Lori Degman‘s picture book, NORBERT’S BIG DREAM, about Norbert, a pig who dreams of swimming the English Channel – if only he could find it, was released by Sleeping Bear Press in August. She also sold her picture book, JUST READ, about a group of kids in a reading book club who share what, when, where, how, and with whom they read to Sterling Publishing. It is scheduled to be released in 2018.

New releases written under Laurie’s pen name Rachel J. Good include Change of Heart (Charisma House/ Realms), the first book in the Sisters & Friends Amish series; the Amish Quilts Coloring Book (Golden Fairy Arts); and Angels Unaware (Golden Fairy Arts), an inspirational novella about the power of forgiveness and love.

She’ll be continuing her Amish series in 2017 with 2 more books in the Sisters & Friends series (Buried Secrets and Gift from Above), 2 novels in the Hearts of Amish Country series (Hearts United and Secret Identity), and 4 books in the Love & Promises series. She also has another picture book and an Amish novella under contract.

Author/Illustrator Sally Fawcett‘s picture book WHAT COULD IT BE?, a book about exploring shapes in the real world and imagination, was released by EK Books in June. She also sold her picture book, THROUGH THE GATE, a story of resilience, as a little girl changes her perspective and mood by putting one foot in front of the other as she passes ‘through the gate’. It will be released by EK Books in May 2017.

SM Ford‘s inspirational romantic suspense was published by Clean Reads in June. In ALONE, Cecelia’s new live-in job affects her carefree heart, increases her dependence on God, and . . . puts her life at risk.

Kristen Foote signed a contract in July for two picture books with Innovation Press after they liked her pitch during #PBPitch. Both are creative non-fiction: HOW TO SURVIVE AS A FIREFLY and HOW TO SURVIVE AS A SHARK.They are unique and funny takes on insect and fish science that will entertain both in and out of the classroom. They are scheduled to be released in Fall 2017.

Kelly Garrett sold her novel, THE LAST TO DIE toPoisoned Pen Press to be released in April 2017. In the book, Harper is no saint, but she doesn’t deserve to die. But when her burglary ring goes terribly wrong, and her friends start dying, she knows she’s next on the list.

Steve Goble signed with The Evan Marshall Agency with his Historical Mystery in March then sold his book, THE BLOODY BLACK FLAG: A SPIDER JOHN MYSTERY to Seventh Street Books in a 2-book deal in August! In the book to be released Fall/Winter 2017, a reluctant pirate seeks the killer of his best friend aboard a pirate vessel. THE DEVIL’S WIND: A SPIDER JOHN MYSTERY is scheduled to release in Fall/Winter 2018.

Sam Hawke signed with agent Julie Crisp and sold his fantasy novel, CITY OF LIES, to Tor US to be released April 2018: After the Chancellor is poisoned and the city is besieged, a brother and sister charged with secretly protecting the ruling family must find the traitor before the city falls.

Hannah Holt sold her picture book DIAMOND/MAN, a double-biograph picture book, telling the story of natural diamond creation alongside the story of H. Tracy Hall, who invented a revolutionary diamond-making machine, to Balzer+Bray to be released Fall 2018. She was also the recipient of the SCBWI WIP Grant for picture book text for A FATHER’S LOVE, a colorful celebration of the best dads in the animal kingdom, from penguins to lions to seahorses.

Lauren Hough signed with Fletcher and Co. for her memoir. Her article, THE SHEPHERDS, a story of how Cult life is a little less lonely when you have a secret radio, was published in Granta in November.

Katey Howes signed with Essie White of Storm Literary and sold her picture book
MAGNOLIA MUDD AND THE SUPER JUMPTASTIC LAUNCHER DELUXE to Sterling Publishing to be released Fall 2017 in which nuts-and-bolts Magnolia must invent a Mudd-powered way to participate in her uncle’s wedding, or get stuck tossing petals in a frilly gown.

Gayle C. Krause sold her picture book, DADDY, CAN YOU SEE THE MOON? about a little boy and his soldier dad who share special moments together by looking at the moon though they are separated by duty to country to Clear Fork Publishing – Spork Imprint to be released Spring 2018.

Sylvia Liu‘s picture book, A MORNING WITH GRANDPA, in which Met Mei and her grandfather teach each other yoga and tai chi–while each struggle with the other’s activity, they enjoy each other’s company, was released by Lee & Low Books.

Amy Losak sold her mom, Sydell Rosenberg’s, haiku alphabet picture book, H IS FOR HAIKU to Penny Candy Books in October to be released late 2017 or 2018.

Tara Lubbe signed with Tracy Marchini at Bookends Literary in July and sold her picture book, SHARK-NATE-O about a kid who loves sharks but cannot swim, so he learns how to so he can feel like a real shark, to Little Bee to be released Spring 2018.

Author/illustrator Nilah Magruder‘s debut picture book, HOW TO FIND A FOX was published by Feiwel & Friends in November. In it, a little girl, Equipped with a camera and determination, sets out to track down an elusive red fox, but it proves more difficult than she thought.

Nilah also signed two deals! One for her graphic novel M.F.K., a fantastic adventure following the story of Abbie, a deaf girl with a mysterious power, who is traveling across a vast desert to scatter her mother’s ashes to be released by Insight Comics in September 2017.

Plus, Nilah is illustrating the upcoming middle grade graphic novel, CREAKY ACRES which sold in a 3-book deal at auction. Written by Calista Brill and scheduled to be published by Dial Books for Young Readers in Spring 2019, the story features a cast of characters at a run-down horse barn, including new girl Nora, who has to adjust to the change from fancy suburb to poor rural community, and from being one of the few black girls riding horses in her area to being the only black kid in the whole town.

Rachel Noble signed with Essie White of Storm Literary Agency in July and sold her picture book FINN’S FEATHER to Enchanted Lion to be released in Fall 2017. In the book, Finn finds a feather and believes his brother in Heaven has sent it. He wants to protect it but his friend urges him to have fun with his precious gift.

Rosie J. Pova signed with agent Marisa Corvisiero for her children’s writing in September plus she sold 3 books to Clear Fork Publishing. Rosie’s picture books include: IF YOU WEREN’T HERE in which,in a series of simple and direct questions, Willy, a bear cub, seeks and receives his mother’s reassurance of love and security as the two take a walk in the forest and SARAH’S SONG, the story of a granddaughter as she comes to terms with her grandmother’s failing health and how that affects the special bond the two share. Rosie’s Middle Grade Novel, HAILEY QUEEN AND THE ALIEN: PRANKING MAKES PERFECT is the story of nine-year old prankster Hailey who feels like an alien in her own world until an alien comes into her life and shows her what it means to be human. All to be released in 2017!

Laura Renauld won the Sparkhouse Family Picture Book Contest (which she learned about in the Contest Roundup!) and her picture book, PORCUPINE’S PIE, in which Porcupine and her friends share ingredients and begin a new tradition for Fall Feast Day, will be released in Fall 2018. She also sold FIND THE FACE: Craft and Game where, using recycled materials, children create Cap Characters that act as the pieces in a guessing game, to Highlights!

Elizabeth Roderick‘s Romantic Suspense. LOVE OR MONEY, was published by Limitless Publishing in January. In it, Riel was just released from prison on a drug charge, and now must fight to escape from the crime family that put her there…and to win the heart of the man she loves. She also signed for her Magical Realism/Romantic Suspense Series THE OTHER PLACE in February with THE HUSTLE released in May, The OTHER PLACE released in July, and LOVE AND WAR and SYNCHRONICITY to be released in 2017. In the series, Liria struggles with homelessness and heroin addiction, while Justin struggles to make a life as an artist while dealing with his serious mental health issues. Will their love sustain them, or drag them down?

Shari Schwarz‘s Middle Grade Novel, TREASURE AT LURE LAKE, in which Bryce stumbles upon a treasure map connected to an old family secret, was released from Cedar Fort Publishing.

Bethany Stevenson won an art award in the Oklahoma state fair for an abstract piece of art based on the imagination of writers and took 2nd place in short essay in the Oklahoma library young writers awards and 3rd place for short play.

Devon Sillett sold her picture book, THE LEAKY STORY, about a book that so longs to be read that the characters leak out, to EK Publishing for release in 2017. In November she also signed on with EK for another book to be published in 2018. The title is confidential. How mysterious and exciting!

Christi R. Suzanne‘s flash fiction, FERRIS WHEEL WITNESS was published in The Gravity of the Thing last spring. This short fiction piece was read at an event in September and the editor of the journal was there. She asked Christi to send it in! Her article, WHISPERS was published in Midwestern Gothic in October. It is about a trip she took with her Dad to Girty’s island in Napoleon, OH where they crossed the Maumee River in a blow up boat. She was also interviewed by Midwestern Gothic for their Contributor Spotlight.

Angie Thomas sold her book, THE HATE U GIVE to Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins in a 13-house auction to be released in February. Plus the film rights were optioned by Fox 2000! Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, Angie Thomas’s searing debut about an ordinary girl in extraordinary circumstances addresses issues of racism and police violence with intelligence, heart, and unflinching honesty.

Yvonne Ventresca‘s novel BLACK FLOWERS, WHITE LIES was released by Sky Pony Press in October: When strange events cause Ella to question her perception of reality, she desperately needs to find answers, no matter how disturbing the truth might be.

Isn’t that a ton of great news! I feel so awed and lucky to be a part of a group full of so many amazingly talented people. May 2017 bring us inspiration, opportunities, friendship, perseverance, and more success!

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Published by Heather Ayris Burnell

Author of the UNICORN AND YETI early reader series coming in 2019 from Scholastic Acorn, and KICK! JUMP! CHOP! THE ADVENTURES OF THE NINJABREAD MAN published by Sterling. Creator of Sub It Club. Usually fooling around on Twitter @heatherayris.
View all posts by Heather Ayris Burnell

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13 thoughts on “2016 Year of Success!”

Congrats to all!!! So excited to see the hard work of these wonderful writers and illustrators being recognized! Now I need to build new shelves to fit all of their wonderful books! Thanks so much, Heather and Sub It Club team…your posts keep us informed and inspired. 😉 Wishing all of you the happiest and healthiest New Year!